Combined weed guard and trolling plate for outboard motors



Nov. 7, 1944. L. A. STOPPEL 2,362,323

COMBINED WEED GUARD AND TROLLING PLATE FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed May 12; 1945 Patented Nov. 7 1944 invention relates to 2 an attachment for outboard motors and more particularly a combined weed guard and trolling plate which can be quickly and. easily attached and detached while the motor ismounted on a boat. p

The general object of my invention is to provide a. frame having means for'securing the same to part of the lower propeller drive housing of an outboard motor and also to the propeller shaft which is so mounted that it can be quickly and easily attached and detached and which at the same time is sufficiently strong and rigid to prevent it from being dislodged when it encounters weeds or other obstacles in the water.

The above and other objectsand advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of 'the device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with a portion of the weed guard broken away and a part of the motor shown in position;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation on a smaller scale showing the lowerportion of an outboard motor with the device in operating position.

The structure includes a frame made up of a pair of rounded generally U-shaped frame members 5 which are connected at their upper ends by cross members 6 which extend rearwardly some distance and are then bent inwardly on a diagonal toward each other to provide straps "I. The forward or near frame member 5, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, has horizontally disposed portion Ewwhich extend inwardly toward-each other and have their ends spaced some distance apart. Connected to the lower portions of the frame members 5 are straps-8 which bridge said frame members and extend upwardly and slightly for-.- wardly as at 8a and thence horizontally forwardly terminating in a pair of hook members 9 pivotally connected at IU.

Between the-straps 8 is a strap II which connects the frame members 5 and extends rear- .fines the portion of each aperture,.andfthe clip also has finger engaging portions I6 which extend outwardly from'the rear'side of the plate I e front portion of the frame is covered with a wire netting or mesh l1 and the side portions thereof between the frame members 5 are also covered with wire meshing. The upper central portion of the mesh I'I on the front side of the frame is provided with a rectangular cut-out bound with a panel shaped strip of sheet metal l8.

In Fig. 4 there is shown the lower portion of an outboard motor l9 which carries a horizontally disposedpropeller shaft 20 upon which is mounted a screw propeller 2l.- Below the propeller shaft 20 is a; fin 22. When the combined weed guard and trolling plate of my invention is attached to a motor a bolt 23 is passed through the lower-fin 22 on the motor, and the pivot hooks 9 are slipped over the bolt and secured to.

the fin by wing nuts 24 beneath which are look washers 23a. Thepivot' I0 is provided to assist in slipping the hooks 9 over said bolt 23. The spring clip i4 is mounted on a reduced portion ofthe propeller casting 25 and a nut 26 on the propeller shaft 20 is tightened up against the reduced portion of said propeller casting 25. This permits the propeller to rotate while the spring clip I relieves stress. The arms of the spring clip [4 are snapped through the apertures l3in the trolling plate I2 and the device is held setrolling plate to reduce the effective action of wardly andthence upwardly as shown in Fig. 2.

the propeller 2!. With the device it is possible to troll at low speeds and to pass through grass or weed beds in, the water without fouling the propeller. When the user of the device wishes to travel at normal speeds he can quickly remove it from the motor. This is done by pressing the arms of the spring clip l4 toward each other slightly and slipping the trolling plate from said clip, loosening the wing nuts v24 which hold the pivot hooks .9 and slipping the entire devicefrom around the propeller 2|. Of course, it is noted that the top of the device is open so that themepeller can be slipped in and out through said open portion, and it should be further understood that the mounting and dismounting of the apparatus can be easily accomplished when the motor is tilted up and out of the water.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a frame work of comparatively light metal which serves as a support for a wire mesh weed guard and also as a support for a trolling plate so that the operator of a boat equipped with an outboard motor can troll slowly through weed beds while fishing without danger of fouling the propeller of the motor. The device is simply constructed, and while it can be readily mountedand dismounted its fastening means are so arranged that these operations can be performed in a very short time.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment for an outboard motorhaving a propeller shaft and a propeller thereon and having supportingstructure for said propeller and shaft'comprising, a frame,'a detachable connection between said frame and said propeller'supporting structure, a weed guardsupported by-said frame and adapted to lie forwardly of said propeller, a. trolling plate connected to said frame and adapted to lie rearwardly of said propeller, and a detachable connection for said trolling plate adapted to be connected to an end of said propeller shaft.

2. The structure in claim 1 and said detachable connection comprising, a spring clip having means for relatively permanent attachment to said propeller shaft and having a quick detachable resilient connection with said trollin plate.

U-shaped spring-clip therethrough, and said arms being detachably received by said element.

LEONARD -A. STOPPEL. 

